Aim/Objective: This study focuses on the behaviour of elderly users on Facebook toward their participation in the spreading of viral marketing messages, and includes a comparative study between the European Union and the USA.
Research Methodology: It includes a quantitative research using questionnaires completed by elderly Facebook users who live in the European Union and the USA.
Results: The research findings showed that motivation provided by a company in the Facebook environment through the use of lotteries and discount coupons increases the chances of elderly people spreading the viral message on Facebook. The positive effect is larger in the case of US users than in the European Union. Furthermore, a message in general is more likely to be spread by the elderly in the European Union than by those in the US. Another important finding of the research is that for both regions concerned, elderly who have achieved no more than a primary education are more likely to spread a viral marketing message than are graduates of higher educational levels. The effect is also positive when a member of a reference group has already spread the message and the elderly of the European Union tend to be more affected from this.
Prototype: These findings have theoretical and managerial implications for viral advertising on Facebook.